Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Meetup Report! Rabbit Rabbit III and Maiden Diner

Yesterday I had a double meetup! The first was a meetup with local Lolitas at an adorable restaurant called Rabbit Rabbit III (because it is the third branch) and shortly afterward I met a Lolita from the USA who is visiting in Taiwan and we went to a Maid Cafe.

Though the day was quite hot, I was wearing a corset under my outfit too @__@ Finally got to wear my BABY Parfait skirt out though!! First time it is seeing the sunshine after its color run disaster!

Group shot in front of Rabbit Rabbit III:

image courtesy of Loi蘿伊, on the far right

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Crazy colored walls everywhere!

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Adorable Menu!

It was incredibly crowded, but the area we were seated in was on a slightly raised platform and towards the back, hidden from view so we didn't have any issues with phantom photographers :D

Afterwards I met up with Heather and we window-shopped a bunch before heading to a cute little Maid Cafe called Maiden Diner. We weren't allowed to take photos of the decor or the maids, but we did take photos of our food!

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My honey waffles! The drawings are done in chocolate syrup and super cute! Unfortunately, in the process of eating, the maid's face is inevitably wiped off :(

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Heather's strawberry waffles.

Compared to the last maid cafe I went to, this one was so much better! It is MUCH smaller, seating only about 8 tables, but very cute and sweet. It had a "bus" or "train" theme for some reason, but all in pink and with little plushies sitting in the dangling handholds.

On our way out, we saw an elegant-looking butler cafe! I'm interested in trying that out too...

Hope the Maid Cafe report wasn't too off topic :P Honestly, I just really like the idea of theme cafes!!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Review/Tutorial~Dylon Dye Run Colour Remover

A few weeks ago I posted about my dream dress print running because it got wet. I asked 3 different dry cleaners and none were able to offer any insight or advice on how to fix it (AKA, they told me "too bad! It's ruined forever!"). So I posted to EGL asking what I should reconstruct the skirt into. Instead, I got many recommendations for products to use to get the dye out. One that was mentioned many times was "Dylon Dye Run Colour Remover." Unfortunately, none of the shops I checked (I checked 4!) sold this, so I ended up buying it online. Once it arrived, I eagerly tried it out! I took some photos so you can see how it works!

1) Product:
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2) Use enough water to cover your clothing completely/水量要能完全蓋住一服讓她好好泡個澡
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3) Skirt:
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4) Add Dylon to water/將DYLON加入水裡:
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POINT! It is advisable to do a spot test on the seam allowance to make sure your clothes can handle this product! No, I didn't spot test since my skirt was ruined already anyway /建議要先在衣服的縫分試試看用了會不會更糟。 我自己是沒試試看 哈哈 想反正已經退色了!

5) Submerge skirt/把衣服泡到水裡:
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6) Soak for 1+ hours, stirring regularly/要泡一個多鐘頭而且要偶爾去攪動一下:
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POINT! It is recommended to wear protective gloves when working with chemicals like this! 建議要戴手套! 者種化學藥品很有可能傷皮膚喔!

7) Dye in the water/顏色被吸出來了:
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Results:

Before/使用前:
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After/使用後:
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Before/使用前:
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After/使用後:
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Conclusion:
Dylon Dye Run Colour Remover removed all the excess red dye without fading the original print at all! I am very satisfied with it and so glad that my skirt looks like new now!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Tiana's Kitchen~Easy "Ice Cream" 簡單DIY冰淇淋

熱熱的夏天令人很想吃冰食來降低體溫。但好吃的冰淇淋通常高熱量高脂肪而且加了很多防腐劑和其它人工塑料。想吃健康又天然的冰淇淋也不難! 只需要一種材料就行了!
In the high heat of summer, there is nothing quite as satisfying as cooling down with a scoop or two of delicious ice cream. Unfortunately, regular ice cream tends to be high in fat and calories and/or filled with preservatives or artificial chemicals. Today I will show you how to make a healthy and delicious "ice cream" with only one ingredient!

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Ice cream??

Ingredients/材料:
1-2 bananas/香蕉

Directions/做法:

1) 將香蕉剝皮切丁。Peel and cut the banana into slices
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POINT! 香蕉越熟越甜。稍微過熟的香蕉不必加糖會健康一點。 The riper the banana, the sweeter it is. Slightly overripe bananas will make the ice cream sweet enough without the need for extra sugar, which is healthier!

2) 把切好的香蕉冰到凍箱裡。 Freeze the banana slices.
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3) 想吃冰淇淋時就把凍好的香蕉丟到大杯子裡用料理棒打成泥。When you want to eat ice cream, take out the frozen banana and blend it with a food processor or a hand held blender.
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4) 挖出來就能吃了! Scoop it out and enjoy!
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POINT! 試試其它水果來換別的口味! 芒果,火龍果,等都能試看看喔! Try different types of fruit for different flavors! Try mangoes, dragonfruit, etc.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Ribbon and Lace Wonderland Update

Since I'm halfway done with my line, I figured I would share some photos :)


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First, I made the blouses. The two white ones are the same - one just has detachable sleeves so I only took one photo:
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Click to make larger!
It has puff sleeves, cotton lace ruffles (with ribbons embroidered on them), and one has detachable sleeves with wide crochet cotton lace and pintucks

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Chest Up

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Sleeve Detail

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Collar

Next is a "work appropriate" blouse so the sleeves are a little less puffy and it has no huge ruffles, but it is still cute and wearable with smaller lace on the sleeve and collar:
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Collar

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Sleeve

Today I completed the "work appropriate" JSK which is more toned down with a full, pleated skirt, black top, and white lace. Nothing too fancy, but still dress-up-able for more formal events!

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I have no idea if you can actually wear this to work, but that's the thought behind it!

So that's half my line! I've been sewing in all my free time and become quite the hermit ^^;

Any feedback is quite welcome!

Monday, July 4, 2011

Under the Weather

Yay it's typhoon season here in Taiwan! And by "yay!" I really mean "aw, man!"

Sudden rainstorms can hit randomly and the temperature is really crazy! Yesterday I went out to buy some fabric and wore Lolita. Though it was a bit hot, I still wore a blouse, my full petticoat, and glass socks, which are cooler than cotton socks. Then on my way home it suddenly started pouring rain while thunder and lightening lit up the sky. Luckily, I carry an umbrellasol (sunny and rainy use umbrella+parasol combo!) at all times so I didn't get TOO wet

And thus, today's topic is on choosing the appropriate Lolita outfit for the weather


Rainy
If you would like to wear an outfit that cannot get wet, such as Brand clothing, check the weather forecast first! Even if you bring an umbrella, splashing water, angled rain, and brushing against other people can still get your skirt and socks wet!

If your country or region has a rainy season, keep a foldable umbrella with you at all times. Even better, get a foldable umbrellasol so you can use it whether it is rainy or sunny!
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A BABY umbrellasol

Sunny
Wear sunblock! If you don't like sunblock, try to get a moisturizer with SPF or foundation with SPF if you wear makeup.

Carry an umbrellasol to protect your skin from UV rays. Here in Taiwan, it is quite cheap and common to be able to buy an umbrellasol on the streets. Make sure it has UV filtering for maximum effect!

EDIT: Thanks to Connie for this tip:
A straw hat or bonnet is another pretty way to keep the sun off of your face.

Keep a pretty, foldable fan in your purse to help cool off.
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An example of a Victorian folding fan

Oil-blotting papers are a lifesaver!

EDIT: Thanks to Connie for reminding me about fabrics!
Fabrics to consider:
*cotton* breathable and hydrophilic; wicks sweat away from skin
*chiffon* sheer material like chiffon keeps you covered but not as hot. Brands often put out chiffon blouses for Spring and Summer

Tips from Sabayon:
Wear plain tights in the summer to prevent chub rub without needing bloomers

Soak tights in ice water for portable air-conditioning!

Snowy
When it is snowy, chances are you won't be outside the whole time, so dress in layers! For MN winters I would layer wool tights, flannel bloomers, and socks to keep my feet warm in my boots. I wore a blouse under my dresses (and sometimes a cami under the blouse if it was paired with a skirt) and a cardigan on top. Cover it all with a warm coat, double-layered gloves, a cute scarf, and very importantly, a hat! Dressing in layers allows you to add or remove to adapt to the temperature changes.

Moisturize a lot in snowy weather to prevent windburn.

If there is a lot of snow on the ground, you may want to wear sunglasses during the day because the snow reflects light and that can hurt your eyes!

EDIT: Thanks to Connie for reminding me about fabrics!
Fabrics to consider:
*cotton* it won't get cold like synthetic materials, so your coat won't be cold on the inside when you first put it on! This is a personal preference, as some people prefer the slide-y quality of polyester linings, but for me, cotton is the way to go!
*wool/cashmere* Pricey but warm! Investing is some good wool undergarments or socks will really make a difference in the cold weather!
*fur* Real or fake fur traps body heat between the hairs and keeps you warmer

Windy
When there is a lot of wind, try avoiding skirts/dresses with a wide hemline such as tiered skirts, which are easily caught by the wind
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A Meta tiered skirt - each tier is wider than the previous one

Carry a sidealong purse to help hold down your skirt. If a gust of wind does sweep under the hem, you only need to worry about holding down one side.

"Weigh down" the hemline with layers of ruffles or heavier material. Try pinning charms or fishing weights to the inside of the hem if you are really worried about accidental bloomer-flash! The weights shouldn't be so heavy they alter the shape of your skirt, but they do offer some protection against the wind

Have you got any tips for choosing an outfit to suit the weather? Please share in the comments below if you do!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Completely Off Topic Posts are OK If There are Cute Animals Involved

Today was spent sewing and going to work. Oh, and squeeing over the new pets that my mom bought - baby mini chickens!
今天是平凡的一天。 做做衣服,上上班。 對了,還有看到媽媽買的小雞時的興奮!

Yes, this is totally off topic, but you do want to see photos of the two baby chickens we have now, right?
雖然這件事和Lolita世界完全無關,但還是想看看可愛的相片吧?

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They need to be kept warm for the first 8 days and I'm super scared they'll die! My first rabbit was a baby and it died after a couple of days. Well, it had been attacked by a cat when I first got it, so maybe it was from internal injuries, but still. I think babies are fragile!
賣家說前八天要保持溫暖的狀態。 我是超怕牠們兩個忽然死掉! 第一次養小兔子時牠過了幾天就過世了。 也許是因為來到我家的前幾天被貓攻擊啦,但給我的映像還是覺得小動物很弱!